Strava launched its MCP connector on June 1, 2026. It lets an AI assistant read your own Strava data live, instead of you exporting files and pasting them in. As of early October its help article lists only Claude clients, and says Strava is “looking to support other AI clients in the future”, with no date. So if you came here for ChatGPT, skip to the ChatGPT section. If you’re set up already and want things to ask, the Strava MCP prompts post has a list.
Where it works
| Client | Strava connector? | What you need | Where to add it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Claude.ai and Cowork | Yes | Any Claude plan, plus a paid Strava subscription | Customize > Connectors |
| Claude on iPhone and Android | Yes | Same | Add it on the web or desktop and it shows up on the phone (adding from the phone is in beta) |
| Claude Code | Yes | Same | One terminal command, then sign in from /mcp |
| Claude Team and Enterprise | Yes, once an Owner enables it | An Owner has to turn it on for the organization first | Customize > Connectors, after that |
| ChatGPT | No | Not supported by Strava | See below for what you can do instead |
Who qualifies
On the Strava side, the help article lists the plans that include the connector: the standard subscription, Strava + Runna, Family, Student, and the military, educator and medical discounts. A free trial gets no access until it converts to a paid plan. Free accounts can still view and download their own data, per Strava’s API and MCP FAQ; they just can’t connect an assistant.
On the Claude side, Anthropic’s connector help page says web connectors are available to all users, free plan included. Strava’s entry in the Claude connector directory is marked “Anthropic verified” and lists Strava, Inc. as its maker.
Setting it up
Claude.ai and Cowork
- Open Customize, then Connectors.
- Click +, find Strava, and click Connect.
- Sign in to Strava in the window that opens and approve access.
- In a chat, check it’s switched on under + > Connectors. Connectors are turned on per chat.
The phone apps
The simplest route is to add Strava on the web or desktop first. Claude’s help page says connectors added there appear in the iOS and Android apps. Adding one from the phone directly is marked as beta.
Claude Code
Strava’s help article gives this command:
claude mcp add --transport http strava-mcp https://mcp.strava.com/mcpThen run /mcp inside Claude Code, pick strava-mcp, and sign in. The status should change from “Needs authentication” to “Connected”. If you already added Strava on claude.ai and you log in to Claude Code with your claude.ai subscription, the connector loads on its own, per the Claude Code docs. That automatic route doesn’t apply if you run Claude Code on an API key, Bedrock or Google Cloud; use the command.
Team and Enterprise
An Owner enables Strava for the organization first; after that, each person connects their own Strava account. Two limits from Claude’s help page: connectors work only in private projects, and a chat that used connector data can’t be shared.
From Strava’s side
Strava also has its own entry points: Settings > MCP on strava.com, and You > Settings > AI Assistants in the app, or You > Settings > Your Strava Subscription > Tools.
What it can and can’t read
It’s read-only. The assistant can’t post, edit or delete anything on your account. It reads live data rather than an export, and the help article groups what it covers into activity history, fitness trends, readiness, goal planning, cross-sport training and gear. The directory lists eight tools. Once connected, the server exposes eleven, adding an eligibility check, running training plans and strength workout details. The tool descriptions include nothing for sleep or HRV, and give distances in metric units.
When it doesn’t work
It won’t connect
The most likely cause is the Strava plan. A trial or a lapsed plan won’t work, since only the paid plans listed above qualify. If the plan is fine, Claude’s own fix for a failed sign-in is to disconnect the connector and connect it again. If the eligibility check says you aren’t eligible, it’s the subscription: upgrade, then reconnect.
Connected, but Claude answers without it
Connectors are switched on per chat. Open + > Connectors in that conversation and make sure Strava is on. There’s also a Tool access setting under + > Connectors. On Auto or On demand, Claude loads connectors only when it judges them relevant. Set it to Always available, or name Strava in the question.
Claude Code says it needs authentication
Run /mcp, select the server, and choose Sign in (or Re-authenticate if it was working before). A non-interactive run, like a script or a CI job, can’t complete the sign-in, so do it once in an interactive session.
It stops partway through a big question
Strava applies per-minute and per-day request limits. Asking for five years of activities with full streams may run into them. Narrow the date range, or come back later.
The numbers don’t match Strava
Strava’s help article warns that answers can differ from what the app shows, and names Performance Predictions and Runna plans as examples. The assistant is doing its own math on the raw data. Treat Strava’s own screens as the reference.
Revoking access
Revoking on strava.com cuts off every client at once:
- strava.com: Settings, then My Apps, then Revoke Access next to Claude
- The Strava app: You > Settings > AI Assistants, then Claude, then Disconnect
- Claude.ai or Cowork: Customize > Connectors, then Strava, then Disconnect (this removes it from Claude)
- Claude Code:
claude mcp remove strava-mcp(this removes it from Claude Code and deletes the stored tokens)
What about ChatGPT?
There’s no official Strava connector for ChatGPT. Strava’s FAQ says it started with Anthropic because it believes Anthropic won’t train on your data without consent.
ChatGPT can add custom MCP servers through developer mode. OpenAI’s help article describes it for Business, Enterprise and Edu workspaces on the web: an admin turns it on, and enabled members toggle it under Settings > Apps > Advanced settings. It isn’t on mobile. Strava hasn’t offered its own server there yet. Strava’s API Policy names the Strava MCP as the sole authorized first-party agent-mediated interface (section 3.5) and says it may be offered on AI platforms Strava trusts. Section 5.16 bars developers from running any MCP server that exposes Strava data.
Pelaris is a published ChatGPT app, so it needs no developer mode, though its Strava sync is marked temporarily unavailable.
The fallback that needs nothing from anyone: export your data. On strava.com go to Settings > My Account > Download your account. Strava emails a link, and its export article says that can take a few hours. You can then upload the files you want to any assistant.
Directory apps with their own MCP servers
A few apps in the directory run an MCP server of their own, over their own data. Several of them list ChatGPT as well as Claude. What each one reads, and where that data comes from, differs, so check the app’s own page before connecting.
| App | Assistants it lists | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| YOUB | Claude, ChatGPT (paid web plans) | Free | Can write training plans, with a permission per category; sends sessions to Garmin, Wahoo and Suunto |
| Kailo | Claude, ChatGPT (developer mode) | Free with your own Claude or ChatGPT; Pro is $9.99 a month on iOS | Strava only as a one-time archive import; live data from Garmin, Wahoo and Apple Health; sleep and HRV need Garmin; can push workouts to Garmin |
| Runalyze | Claude, ChatGPT, Mistral, Grok, Gemini, Antigravity (as tested by Runalyze) | Premium, €5.50 a month or €60 a year | Read-only; disconnecting takes effect immediately |
| watchmy.bike | Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini | Alloy plan, €3.25 a month or €39 a year (the free Steel tier has no MCP) | Bike and component wear, not training |
| Flow State Endurance | Not stated per client | Coach plan, $10 a month after a 7-day trial | MCP access comes with the Coach plan |
| Pelaris | Claude, ChatGPT | Free (MCP included); coaching from A$15 a month | Can write to your training plan; 31 tools; its Strava sync is marked temporarily unavailable (as of early October 2026) |
YOUB and Pelaris can both write to your plan as well as read. YOUB asks for a permission per category. Its setup page says there are no injury guardrails on that route: the advice is your assistant’s. Kailo’s server lives at kailo.fit/mcp and its site has setup steps for Claude and for ChatGPT developer mode. Runalyze is read-only and tested the widest set of assistants. watchmy.bike is about your bikes, not your training.
The rest of the AI-tagged apps work inside their own app, without an MCP server. They’re on the AI apps page.
Sources
- Strava: What is the Strava MCP connector, Strava API and MCP FAQ, How Do I Export My Strava Data?, launch announcement and API Policy
- Anthropic: Strava in the Claude connector directory, Use connectors to extend Claude’s capabilities, Manage Claude’s tool access, Claude Code MCP docs
- OpenAI: Developer mode and MCP apps in ChatGPT
- The Strava connector’s own tool descriptions, read September 2026
- Apps: YOUB MCP setup, Kailo connector and App Store listing, Runalyze MCP and pricing, watchmy.bike, Flow State pricing, Pelaris, pricing and ChatGPT app
